Speaking of Chant

[Greg the byzantine]

Simonopetra monastery offers a different face of byzantine music, they chant in harmony which to my ears sounds amazing but some don't like it. It's a more communal type of chant, but you might not like it so much as they can chant a single word for a good long time. It might not be worth the buy for you, but for comparisons sake for you to listen here:

To keep it short I'm only going to link to their DL recordings, and their Agni Parthene recordings (their rendition of Agni Parthene is one of my absolute favorites):

(they actually play this cd occasioanlly in church during weekdays when there is no sevice.http://www.liturgica.com/cart/musicInfo.jsp?catNo=AB015&hostname=null

http://www.liturgica.com/cart/musicInfo.jsp?catNo=AB017&hostname=null

 

[Greg the byzantine]

Just for the sake of comparison so that you can just here a few different things (you really have to appreciate some of the subtle aspect of byzantine chant to enjoy this) I just want you to here the samples because they have that great isos or drones, that I love to hear:

http://www.liturgica.com/cart/musicInfo.jsp?catNo=AB041&hostname=null

 

[Greg the byzantine]

And I just have to do this because I have a love for Arabic chanting and especially the way this Lebanese Maronite nun does it:

http://www.liturgica.com/cart/musicInfo.jsp?catNo=AB018&hostname=null

http://www.liturgica.com/cart/musicInfo.jsp?catNo=AB019&hostname=null

 

[Michael G]

I'm sure you are right about the female voices, I just don't care as much for those ones that I have compared with the Greek and Slavonic DL CDs that I have. But it isn't fair for me to judge all such music based on my admittedly very limited exposure. If you have recommendations for such music then I am open to hearing them.

I'm going to be studying Greek over the next few years, so I will be able to understand at least some of it. Other than that, my opinion is purely aesthetical.

While I find Russian Chant to be beautiful, listening to the actual words that are prayed during the vespers (ESPECIALLY during Holy Week) is a very moving experience. The words to the chants are very, very moving. They teach so much spirituality and theology that to have to translate them from a language which you don't natively understand would not do them justice.

 

[Vasileios]

The best Byzantine chants in my opinion are the following:

Mount Athos, Simonopetra monastery:
Agni Parthene (Αγνή Παρθέν&#949. The self-titled hymn by St. Nectary and Aineite ton Kyrion (track 3!) are simply amazing.

Psaltirion Terpnon (Ψαλτήριον Τερπνό&#957
Theia Leitourgia (Θεία Λειτουργία, Τhe Divine Liturgy)

and

Mount Athos, Vatopedi monastery:
Hymns of Holy Monday (Ύμνοι της Μ. Δευτέρα&#962. I think I always have shivers down my spine every time I listen to "Erchomenos o Kyrios pros to pathos", which is Christ talking to his disciples before the crucifixion and comforting them. The words are simply beautiful but just the concept and that music is what does it for me. Goes slowly and somberly, then rises in emotion when Christ says that they will nail me to the cross, give me to sinful hands but have courage, in three days I will rise to the rejoice of the faithful and for eternal life.
I dont know, I find it simply unbelievable, the perfect music for the perfect words, that unique combination of sorrow and love and joy.

Other amazing hyms are "Ton Nymfona Sou Vlepo" with its beautiful words (I see your bridal chamber adorned, O my Savior, and I have no wedding garment that I may enter therein; O giver of Light, make radiant the vesture of my soul and save me), or "Idou, o Nymfios Erchete".

Holy Pascha (Άγιον Πάσχ&#945. Now this is the pinnacle. The words coupled with the joyful yet still solemn style of the byzantine choir are the best way to convey the happiness these monks feel on the Feast of Feasts. There is no single standpoint, although "Christos Anesti" and "Pascha Ieron" are sure to hit home

finally, I really like the recordings by Aggelopoulos and his choir, the Divine Liturgy, the Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos etc... He was the one who trained the Vatopedi monastery monks by the way.

I too prefer male choirs, these recordings are the best represenations imo of my preferences.

I'm sure I saw links around in this thread to some samples of them.

I love Byzantine music. It was what really got me going in the first place and I only started aesthetically. But once you understand the genuinity of the artists and what they are really doing (ie worshipping Christ) then it's a whole other story!

Christos Anesti!